Getting toddler to walk

Is it reasonable to expect a 21m old to walk short distances vs being carried - I mean like from our apt lobby, elevator to apt? I've been trying to encourage my son to walk more but sometimes he insists on being carried. He is 38" tall and 35lbs and my arm muscles def didn't grow as fast as him. I also have a back issues so all the carrying really wears me down. He took his first steps at 9 months and walked consistently at 10 months and runs, jumps, dances, climbs now. I tell him big boys walk or "race" with him but sometimes he just screams to be picked up.

Is it reasonable to expect a 21m old to walk short distances vs being carried - I mean like from our apt lobby, elevator to apt? I've been trying to encourage my son to walk more but sometimes he insists on being carried. He is 38" tall and 35lbs and my arm muscles def didn't grow as fast as him. I also have a back issues so all the carrying really wears me down. He took his first steps at 9 months and walked consistently at 10 months and runs, jumps, dances, climbs now. I tell him big boys walk or "race" with him but sometimes he just screams to be picked up.

Mine walks all I've and has since 13 months (started walking at 10). We never use her stroller. Just demand it! Don't give in. We have a monkey harness for her she loves, because then we allow her to walk by our side with out holding hands 100% of the time. GL!

Mine walks all I've and has since 13 months (started walking at 10). We never use her stroller. Just demand it! Don't give in. We have a monkey harness for her she loves, because then we allow her to walk by our side with out holding hands 100% of the time. GL!

I also had the early walker at 9 months but he ran ever since and never wanted to be carried. Hes now 2.5 and wants to be mr. independent and walk distances away from me and not hold my hand. I say enjoy that he still wants to be carried...Im sure it wont last much longer! They grow up much too quickly :(

I also had the early walker at 9 months but he ran ever since and never wanted to be carried. Hes now 2.5 and wants to be mr. independent and walk distances away from me and not hold my hand. I say enjoy that he still wants to be carried...Im sure it wont last much longer! They grow up much too quickly :(

Lol. Sorry to laugh but sounds like my little one. He's 20m and been walking since 11m. But he won't walk outside of the house. So I've been taking him to a few stores or smaller mall to get him to walk/run. He normally screams and cries which everyone around turns watches with concern and confusion lol. I still try over and over again. Funny tho as he loves to run in the dollar store. It's a work in progress I guess. So I will continue to keep trying unless there's a magic trick I'm unaware of. Baby #3 is due in may so this issue needs to be dealt with before then.

Lol. Sorry to laugh but sounds like my little one. He's 20m and been walking since 11m. But he won't walk outside of the house. So I've been taking him to a few stores or smaller mall to get him to walk/run. He normally screams and cries which everyone around turns watches with concern and confusion lol. I still try over and over again. Funny tho as he loves to run in the dollar store. It's a work in progress I guess. So I will continue to keep trying unless there's a magic trick I'm unaware of. Baby #3 is due in may so this issue needs to be dealt with before then.

That's strange. My son never wants to be carried or in stroller since he was like 17 months. It's his way of being independent and in control do he runs with it. Do you let him out when at stores or mall to make exploring exciting for him?

That's strange. My son never wants to be carried or in stroller since he was like 17 months. It's his way of being independent and in control do he runs with it. Do you let him out when at stores or mall to make exploring exciting for him?

My 20 mo old son would rather be carried or run free so when I try to hold his hand he buckles his knees and lays on the ground. I just stop and insist that he is a big boy and needs to walk with me. I think it's just a toddler issue. He wants to be in control. It would be easier to carry him everywhere but he needs to learn to hold hands and walk with me.

My 20 mo old son would rather be carried or run free so when I try to hold his hand he buckles his knees and lays on the ground. I just stop and insist that he is a big boy and needs to walk with me. I think it's just a toddler issue. He wants to be in control. It would be easier to carry him everywhere but he needs to learn to hold hands and walk with me.

Walking/running around is easier for them than being carried. They don't necessarily have the stamina to walk distances on their own. I read about this in a great parenting book called "Kiss Me!" by Dr. Carlos Gonzalez. He cites an observational study of more than 500 children that showed that children under 3 find it difficult to follow/walk with their mothers, even if they take her hand, except for "brief periods and slowly." He says what some people think of as a willful "refusal to walk" is actually developmentally appropriate, and improves as the child ages. "Walking involves a whole range of activities...For a child to walk around her mother while she is sitting still, or to walk beside her, are two completely different activities. In order to achieve the latter...I must also decide where I am, where mummy is, and the best way to get from one place to the other while both places are continually moving."He also writes, "For a long period, the child will be able to wall, but j mg for a certain amount if time, or when she has a special desire to, or when she is in a good mood."

Walking/running around is easier for them than being carried. They don't necessarily have the stamina to walk distances on their own. I read about this in a great parenting book called "Kiss Me!" by Dr. Carlos Gonzalez. He cites an observational study of more than 500 children that showed that children under 3 find it difficult to follow/walk with their mothers, even if they take her hand, except for "brief periods and slowly." He says what some people think of as a willful "refusal to walk" is actually developmentally appropriate, and improves as the child ages. "Walking involves a whole range of activities...For a child to walk around her mother while she is sitting still, or to walk beside her, are two completely different activities. In order to achieve the latter...I must also decide where I am, where mummy is, and the best way to get from one place to the other while both places are continually moving."He also writes, "For a long period, the child will be able to wall, but j mg for a certain amount if time, or when she has a special desire to, or when she is in a good mood."

Thanks everyone! We live in a busy downtown area so often it is too crowded in stores or the mall to let him explore so we do most of our outside walking at parks but sometimes he wants to be carried the entire time. He has been walking more though with our continual encouragement.

Thanks everyone! We live in a busy downtown area so often it is too crowded in stores or the mall to let him explore so we do most of our outside walking at parks but sometimes he wants to be carried the entire time. He has been walking more though with our continual encouragement.

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